Lubricator.



No. 652,354. Patented lune 26, m00.

^ A. ERBDR.

LUBBIGATUR.

(Application led June 14, 1899.) (No Model.)

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LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,354, dated J' une 26, 1900.

Application filed June 14, 1899. Serial No. 720,473. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDREW ERBOR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Coplay, i'n the county of Lehigh, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators, of Which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates tolubricating apparatus of that classin which. the lubricant is distributed under a suitable pressure direct from a tank or reservoir through pipes to the various bearings where it is required. It has been proposed heretofore in such apparatus to provide for the collection and return to the main tank or reservoir of the Waste oil or oil which drips from the bearings With the object of effecting an economy in the consumption oi' the oil. E

It is the object of the present invention to improve the construction of such apparatus so that it can be easily managed and controlled perfectly at all times; that the oil shall be maintained always under a uniform pressure of sufficient degree which shall not be subject to variation; that the waste oil shall not only be returned to the main or distributing tank or reservoir, butlshall be cleared of all particles of foreign matter before it reaches such tank or reservoir; that the oil shall not be at any time subjected to any churning action or other agitation which would interfere with the proper filtration of the oil, and that the entire apparatus may be easily and thoroughly cleaned from time to time.

The improvements will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows an approved form of the apparatus, partly in section and partly in side elevation.

The apparatus represented in the drawing comprises a Water-tank A, which is placed at a sufficient elevation to give the degree of fluid-pressure required to cause the oil to move, as hereinafter explained, a closed filtering and separating tank B, a second closed filtering and separating tank C, and a distributing-tank I), also closed. One of the tanks B or C might be dispensed with; but in practice it is found that the use of both gives better results. The Water-tank A is connected with a convenient Water-supply, as bya pipe a, and is provided with a float-valve ce or other usual or convenient means for maintaining the water in the tank at a substantially-uniform level. Connection is established between the water-tank and the bottoms of the several tanks B, C, and D, as by pipes cand a3 and the branch pipes a4 and a5. The pipe a2 and the branch pipes a4 and a5 are carried beyond their respective connections with the tanks B, (l, and D to afford 'a convenient means for drawing o from time to time the contents of the several tanks to permit of the thorough cleansing of the system, and each of such extensions is provided with a stop-valve a6 to prevent the escape of water or oil while the apparatus is in use. Stopvalves o.7 and t8 are also provided in the branch pipes a4 and a5, respectively, to control the application of the water-pressure as may be required.

The tank B may be of any convenient shape and size, but preferably has a body of uniform section with a spherical or rounded top and bottom b and h to facilitate cleansing and in the case of the bottom to permit the contents of the tank to be drawn off completely. The tank is also provided with an ordinarysightglass b2, and a filter b3 is connected, through a pipe b4 and stop-valve b5, with the lower portion of the tank. The Waste oil may be returned from the bearings through a pipe b and delivered to the filter b3, from which it passes to the bottom of the tank B. Within the tank and above the opening of the pipe b4 is a separator, which consists of one or more conical wire screens D7, which maybe secured to a suitable handle bs, by means of which the separator can be lifted out when the top b of the tank is removed. The screen or separator serves to separate from the oil, Which rises through it, such particles of foreign Inatter as might be carried up with the oil, and the inclination of the Wire screen, owing to the conical form, prevents such foreign particles from clogging the interstices of the screen. A pipe b9 leads from the top of the tank B to deliver the oil to the next tank in order. The separating-tank C is also provided With a rounded top and bottom c and c', a sight-glass c2, a lter c3, connected with the IOO bottom of the tank through a pipe c4 and stopvalve o5, a separator c7 cs, also in the form of a conical wire screen, and a delivery-pipe c from the top of the tank. The several parts just referred to have the same functions as like parts in the tank B and need not be further described herein. The pipe c communicates, through a stop-valve om, with the bottom of the tank D, being conveniently connected to the branch pipe a5 before referred to. A vent-cock c is also provided for the tank Cto permit the escape of the contained air.

The distributing-tank D, like the tanks B and C, is provided with a rounded top and bottom d d', a sight-glass d2, a separator d7 d8, likewise in the form of a conical Wire screen, and a delivery-pipe d, provided with a stop-valve d10. It may also have a ventcock du and a pressure-gage 112. The delivery-pipe @Z9 preferably rises within the tank toward the top, and at its upper end is provided with a screen e213, of wire-gauze, inthe form of an inverted cone.

For the purpose of permitting the thorough cleansing of the entire apparatus from time to time a steam-pipe E is connected by a branch e with the pipe c2 and by branches e and e2 with the tanks C and D, respectively, stop-valves e3 being provided in the several branches.

In starting the operation of the improved apparatus the valves d6, a7, as, ctX, and e3 are closed and the tank A is iilled with water. The tank C is then iilled with fresh oil through the filter c3, the vent-cock o being open. The stop-valve a7 is then opened, the cock c11 and the valve c5 having been closed, and the water, entering the bottom of the tank C, forces the oil through the pipe e9 into the tank D. When the tank-D is full, the valves a7 and el are closed and the Valves as and d10 are opened. The Water-pressure then forces the `oil out through the pipe cli, the distribution of the oil to the several bearings being effected by suitable pipes, not necessary to be shown or referred to herein.

The Waste oil which drips from the bearings may be collected and broughtin any convenient manner to the tank B, being introduced into the bottom of the same through the connected filter, the Water-pressure being at the time shut off from the tank. As the oil accumulates it rises through the separating-screens and when a sufficient quantity has accumulated the Waterpressure is admitted to the tank and the oil is -forced up into the tank C through its connected iilter. The purified oil is then driven over into the tank D in the manner already described.

Whenever it is desired to thoroughly cleanse the apparatus, the water-pressure is 4 cut oif, the various valves are opened, and steam is admitted by the described connections to all parts of the apparatus, the tanks having been rst emptied by opening the valves provided for that purpose in the pipe extensions.

It will now be clear that the oil is delivered to the bearings under the requisite pressure free from particles of foreign matter and without being subjected to any agitation which would be liable to cause particles of foreign matter to be carried onward with the oil. Such particles of foreign matter as are separated from the oil sink into the rounded bottoms of the' tanks, from which they are easily and completely removed whenever necessary.

It will be evident that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement as may be desirable to suit different conditions of use without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A lubricating apparatus comprising a separating-tank in which the oil is received, a distributing-tank, a delivery-pipe leading from the upper part of said distributing-tank, a connection from the upper part of the receiving-tank to the distributing-tank, an elevated water-tank connectedto the bottom of said receiving-tank and to the bottom of said distributing-tank, and Valves to control the admission of water to said receiving and distributing tanks, substantially as shown and described. Y

2. A lubricating apparatus comprising a receiving-tank, a distributing-tank, a separating-screen in said distributing-tank, a delivery-pipe lea'ding from the upper part of said distributing-tank, a connection from the upper part of the receiving-tank to the distributing-tank below said screen, an elevated water-tank connected to the bottom of said receiving-tank and to the bottom of said distributing-tank, and valves to control the admission of water to said receiving and distributing tanks, substantially as shown and described.

3. A lubricating apparatus comprising a tank for the reception of waste oil, a separating-tank, and a distributing-tank, connections to deliver oil from the top of the firstnamed tank to the bottom of the separatingtank and from the top of the separating-tank to the bottom of the distributing-tank, a delivery-pipe from the top of the distributingtank, a screen interposed in said separatingtank, a water-tank connected to the bottoms of said tanks, and valves to control the admission of water to said tanks, substantially as shown and described. l This specification signed and witnessed this 27th day of May, A. D. 1899. l

ANDREW ERBOR.

In presence of- H. B. YING-LING, J. O. YINGLING.

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